Unexpected Changes
by Quicksilver19
Summary: Rafe and Danny make it to the airfield but they're not the only American planes to get up in the air. Takes off from when they get to the airport and Joe's taking off..


**_Unexpected Changes_**

By: Quicksilver

Author's Notes: 1. Evelyn's not pregnant with Danny's baby…

  2. I didn't want Joe to die so I saved him J I hope no one minds… 

                         3. You guys didn't want Gooz to die either so I had to change that… sorry 'bout that… J

4.  Italicized words between *'s means flashback. 

Danny and Rafe watched Joe start his take-off. He wasn't going to make it… There were three Japs on his tail. Just as they closed in him, the right one exploded, taking the middle with it. The left one swerved off and up, missing its chance to destroy the plane. Joe flew up into the air, uharmed. 

"What the hell? Who hit that one? Who hit it?" Danny yelled. 

"I dunno," replied Earl. "Who's up there?" he asked into the radio. 

"Me," came a feminine voice and a familiar American plane burst out of the smoke near them. 

"She's one of ours, boys," Earl said with pride. He recognized her. "Little Margaret Wolfe! Your father would be very angry if he knew you were up there! That's dangerous!" he yelled into the radio.

"He knows!" she called back. "But you need help here!" 

"Come on! Gotta get up there fighting!" Rafe yelled frustrated . 

"Right. Let's go get us some Japs!" Danny yelled back. 

Earl's voice broke in, "Then get up there and cover the little lady!" 

"Yes sir." 

¤ ¤ ¤

As she shot down another plane, Maggie realized she was over the harbour and glanced down at the sailors below. A sob caught in her throat as she thought of Alec…

**********************************************************************************************

"You take care of yourself, you hear me? I'm not taking care of dad all by myself. You're coming back to take over for me," she teased. 

_He knocked his sister's shoulder with his own. "Don't worry, Mags. I'll be back." And with a cocky grin, he threw his pack over his shoulder and sauntered down to his jeep, whistling a nameless tune. _

_She watched him drive away, one hand shading her eyes and the other waving until he rounded the bend. _

***********************************************************************************************

"Hey. You okay over there?" Danny's voice filtered in. They'd been up there for at least an hour, blowing up Japanese planes. He'd noticed that she took risks and played dangerous games with the Japs. He and Rafe had paired up, along with Joe and Margaret. Right now Rafe and Joe were flying after a few planes off to the left, leaving Danny and Maggie to check for other planes. 

She nodded, and then realized he couldn't see her. "Fine. It's just that my brother's on one of those ships…he's a-a gunner…" She winced at the catch in her voice. "Let's land and go help. The Japanese are going home." She turned her plane back to the airfield. 

As soon as they were landed and out of their planes, Joe ran over to Maggie and dropped to his knees, hugging her around waist tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

She turned pink and tried to disentangle herself. "You're quite welcome. But please, we must get back to the hospital now."

He refused to let go and held on tightly. 

She looked up questioningly at Earl, Danny and Rafe. 

"Let him be for a minute…" said Earl, turning and walking into the hanger. Rafe followed but Danny stayed behind. He patted Joe on the back and said jokingly, 

"At least let her have some air…"

¤ ¤ ¤

"You with the air force, Margaret?" asked Rafe as they drove back to the harbour. She was sitting between him and Danny. Earl, Joe and Gooz were in the front. 

"Maggie," she corrected automatically, wincing at the formality of her name. "My father used to fly planes in world war one and he taught me. When the Japs came this morning, he told me not to go. That I wasn't ready. I'm only seventeen but I figured you'd need all the help we could get so I got to the base and took off before they even came near." She smoothed her hands on her pants and glanced quickly over to Danny then Rafe. Both were hard-eyed. "You two been friends long?" 

Rafe looked up sharply and glared at Danny for a second before closing his eyes tiredly. "Yeah. He's like my brother. My best friend for over ten years." 

She felt Danny relax beside her. "Yeah. Best friends. How come you're at Pearl Harbour in the first place?" 

She shrugged. "I came up here with my dad and my brother after my mom died. They're both in the navy. My father's a retired captain but they still come to him for answers. That's why they moved him here." 

***********************************************************************************************

_Maggie's standing by her mother's grave in the cemetery, holding flowers. Her father was talking and she tried to concentrate._

_"…and you'll get to see Alec a lot more, darling. Come on, it'll be an adventure, Maggie." Her father knelt down in front of her. "I know you don't want to miss all your friends but you'll meet new ones. And, of course, Alec will come for all the holidays, even the weekends. _

_ "Okay daddy," a six year-old Maggie replied. "If that's what you want…" She placed the flowers lovingly on the grave and took her father's outstretched hand._

***********************************************************************************************

They turned the corner and it was her turn to tense up and gasp. Her right hand clutched the edge of the seat, brushing up against Danny's. He looked over, saw her anxious face, and patted her hand. She glanced up sharply at him and he took her hand, stroking his thumb over hers in an effort to calm her. There were wounded and dying all over. Her eyes welled up and as soon as the car was parked and Danny got out, she bolted for the harbour. 

Rafe shrugged and the two men went inside, Danny casting worried looks towards where Maggie had disappeared. They found Evelyn rushing around.

"What can we do?" asked Rafe, reaching out and rubbing her back to comfort her.

Strangely, Danny felt no jealousy…instead, his mind wandered to Maggie. 

¤ ¤ ¤

"Captain?" She stopped in front of the captain of her brother's ship after searching for a while. "Has Alec Wolfe come in yet?"

"Maggie. Oh, Maggie." He hugged her to him. "It's chaos out there. We don't know who's dead, who's okay and who's injured. The only place I can't think of to go to is the hospital…" 

She ran back towards the hospital and inside. It was chaotic. Her eyes darted back and forth, searching. 

"Miss, are you alright?" A nurse came up to her. "Do you need help?"

"No thank you." She waved the woman off, knowing that others needed her more than Maggie herself did right now. The woman left and Maggie kept looking. 

¤ ¤ ¤

She found him a half hour later. "Alec?" He was bleeding from a wound in his chest. A bandage was wrapped around him but the blood was soaking through. She pulled off her jacket and over-shirt then pressed the shirt to his wound. She let go only long enough to pull her jacket over her undershirt. "Alec, you're going to be fine… just fine…" She put pressure on the wound to staunch the blood. 

"Mags," he gasped out. 

"You'll be fine, Alec. Just don't talk. We'll talk afterwards, I promise." The blood was leaking out over her hands. "Somebody help me! Anybody!" 

"Mags," he said again, then shuddered, and then died. 

"No. Alec. Alec! Come back! Please come back!" She let go of the shirt, which slipped to the floor, and buried her head in his shoulder. "Please come back," she whispered again. "Please." 

¤ ¤ ¤

Danny saw her again after he'd given blood. She was leaning against the wall, her head bent and arms wrapped around herself. "Maggie?"

Her head came up and she looked older than the last time he'd seen her. She gave him a sad look then her eyes slid to look outside.

He followed her gaze. The battle was over. He leaned up against the wall beside her. "Are you okay?" 

She nodded, her eyes glazed. 

Rafe came up to the two with the caged look on his face. "Danny, we need to go out and help those sailors trapped in the ships. They need everyone they can get." 

Maggie broke down, tears fell down her face, and her shoulders shook. 

Danny took her in his arms and held her. "You go, Rafe. I'll catch up." He patted Maggie's soft red hair until she calmed. "Shh. It's okay, Maggie. I'm here. What happened?" 

She still clung to him, the tears falling down silently now, but the shaking had stopped. "A-Alec. He's… he's dead…I'm the only one left…the only one…" 

He held her at arm's length, studying her face, then kissed her lightly on the forehead. "I have to go now but I'll come back and find you. I promise." 

She nodded, her face tear-streaked. She had no idea who he really was. He was just a pilot to her but he was making her feel safer so she didn't say anything. After he left, she sank down to the floor, her head in her hands. 

¤ ¤ ¤

Danny helped carry another body to the growing pile of bodies and shuddered. He smelled death, saw death and heard death all around him. He just wanted to go home and sleep it all away. Why did this happen? He climbed back up the hull of the California and listened carefully for survivors. There was a creaking sound and at first he ignored it, thinking it was the ship settling deeper in the sand. Then he heard Rafe yell something out before the steel beneath him gave out. He plummeted down into thin air without anything to stop or slow his fall until he hit the bottom. Then everything went black. 

¤ ¤ ¤

When he woke up again, he could see faces above him. Two women and a man. Rafe, Evelyn and Maggie. "Rafe?" he croaked out. 

"Oh, god. Danny. Danny…" Tears were running down everyone's cheeks and they hugged him gently. 

"Where am I? Wh-what happened?" He struggled into a sitting position with Rafe's help. 

"You scared us, Danny." Rafe stood back and put his arm around Evelyn. They looked apprehensive but happy. 

Maggie stood on the other side, looking lost and alone. He wanted to reach out and take her hand. 

"What happened?" he asked again. 

"You're in the San Francisco General Hospital. We brought you here after you fell into a coma. Maggie's been takin' care of you ever since…" Rafe said. "You must be mighty hungry. I'll go get you some food."

"And I'll go get the doctor so you can find out when you get out of here…" added Evelyn.

They left and shut the door quietly behind them. 

"Why?" he asked as soon as they were gone, the only think coming to mind. 

"You took care of me so I'm here, taking care of you." She smoothed out the sheet beside her, which had suddenly become rather interesting. 

"How long have I been out?" he asked, touching her hand lightly. 

Her head jerked up then she looked down again. "Two months." 

"Two months!" he yelled. 

She winced at his yell and ducked her head. 

"Two months?" repeated Danny, more quietly this time. "What did you do in that time?" 

She shrugged and he noticed how beautiful she looked in a new-looking nice white dress, with her normally straight hair curled. 

"You look beautiful." It just came out. Just like that. He blushed furiously. 

She looked up, surprised. "Thank you." 

Evelyn returned with a doctor. He came over and checked Danny over. 

"Well, you've healed quite well…bones all mended… we'll have to keep you in for a few days to make sure. Just a few tests that's all and then you can go." He looked over at Maggie and smiled warmly. She smiled back but hers was a little hesitant. 

Danny wanted to hit him. "When am I getting out, doctor?" he asked to distract him. 

"Huh? Oh, a few days. Just a precaution, you understand."

"Thank you, doctor," said Evelyn. 

"Yes, yes, of course. I'll come back and check on you in a bit," he said to Danny and cast one last look at Maggie who looked like she wanted to sink into the floor. 

Evelyn stood by Danny's bed and Maggie got the hint. 

"Food does sound good. I think I'll go down and get something myself," she said and quickly left the room. 

Danny wanted to shout, "Come back!" but didn't. Instead he watched as Evelyn sat down on the bed beside him and smoothed out her skirt. 

"Danny, I don't know what to say. I'm glad that you're alive." 

"Yeah, me too." 

"And Maggie's really nice." 

He nodded, wondering where this was going though he had an idea. "And…"

"And you're very special to me but so is Rafe. And I just think you and I aren't meant to be together, that's all. I mean, it works out. Me and Rafe and then you and Maggie. She's been so supportive to you. I mean, she left Pearl Harbour for you."

He nodded again. "Yeah."

"So is that okay? Are you okay if I were with Rafe?" 

He studied her. She looked anxiously back. He loved her but if it meant Rafe would be happy then all right. And who knew what would happen with Maggie… "A'right, I guess so." 

"Oh, thank you Danny." She kissed him on the cheek as Rafe and Maggie returned. 

"Ready to go, Ev?" Rafe asked hesitantly. 

She nodded and he helped her with her coat. "See you later Danny. We're glad you're okay…" 

"Yeah, you take good care of him, Maggie. If he gets too much to handle, give him a sharp whack…he'll quiet down nice like…"

Maggie smiled and nodded. 

"Yeah, and if Rafe gets fresh with you, Evelyn, you know where to kick _him_ to get him to quiet down…" Danny shot back. 

They laughed and the couple left. 

Maggie came over with the tray and placed it on his lap. "Rafe got you some food. It's not great but it's better than the stuff that they give you here." 

He nodded, looking at her. "I'll remember that." 

"Yes, well, he got you a chicken sandwich and soup and a drink. Oh, and there's a candy bar for you.

"Thank you." He started eating. 

"The president says that they're going to get back at the Japanese. There's going to be a mission into Japan and they're going to bomb them." 

He nodded and swallowed a bite of sandwich. "How do you know that?" 

"My father. Rafe wants to go on it. Evelyn doesn't want him to. The training starts in a week."

"Well, Rafe's gonna need someone to watch his back. A week, you said?" 

She nodded. "You just have to promise me that you won't die. Because I'm not going to let you go unless you do." 

"All right. Just as long as you don't go runnin' off with someone the minute I leave. 'Cause I ain't comin' back to no one." 

Her eyes were wet but she was smiling. "Deal." 

They shook hands and Danny wouldn't let go. He pulled on her until her face was centimetres away from his. Then he kissed her softly. 

¤ ¤ ¤

7 months later

Maggie and Evelyn walked them to the airport. 

"Don't worry, Maggie. I'll be fine. I promise. I'll come back." He hugged her tightly for what seemed like a long time and kissed her before following Rafe onto the plane. 

Evelyn came up beside Maggie and put her arm around her and squeezed gently. "Don't worry, Maggie. They'll come back safe and sound…" 

¤ ¤ ¤

Rafe watched Danny look out the window at Maggie. "Don't worry, Danny. You'll come back to her…" 

Danny nodded and turned away as the engines started up. "Yeah." 

¤ ¤ ¤

Maggie hugged herself. They'd left a few days ago for Japan, Evelyn told her. She closed her eyes and watched the sun set as tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn't wait for the news to come in but at the same time she didn't want to know. She'd flown back to Pearl Harbour to be near her father and so they could hear the news about Danny and Rafe. 

It set and she was sitting in the dark, just like so many other nights. She had spent a lot of time here since Danny had left. 

She saw a car's headlights going too fast down their road and stop in their drive. Squinting in the darkness, she could make out the army vehicle. She stood up and ran as fast as she could towards the house.

¤ ¤ ¤

"They're coming home in a week."

Maggie took a deep breath. "D-do they know who made it out?" Her father grasped her hand tightly. She looked up at him gratefully. 

"I don't know. We're supposed to just wait for them to come home. And I don't know what to do!"

"Don't worry Evelyn. They'll be fine. They take care of each other."

¤ ¤ ¤

The band played the national anthem as the plane came down. Pilots came out, looking heroic and strong. Rafe appeared and Evelyn sighed in relief. He turned and grasped the handle of a coffin and they pulled it out. 

Maggie gasped in horror until the coffin was all the way out, with Danny following. His face was bruised and he looked older but he was okay. She practically ran to hug him. Her breath was coming in hiccupy sobs and he clutched her tightly with one arm. 

"Hey, hey, hey," he said softly, his hand rubbing up and down her back. "I'm okay. I'm fine…"

"I know," she said into his shoulder, arms tightly around him, making sure he wasn't a ghost. 

¤ ¤ ¤

"We're here to mourn for Lieutenant Gordy Benge. He was a brave man and fought well. He was honourable and laughed in the face of danger…" 

Danny glanced at Maggie. She was watching the casket go down into the earth, no doubt thinking it could have been him. The first night together, she'd told him that she'd thought it was he in the coffin when Rafe had come out of the plane with it. He'd held her for a long time. She was crying and she didn't even know the man. But he knew that that wasn't why she was crying…

¤ ¤ ¤

Danny took off his hat before entering the house. He could smell supper cooking and snuck towards the kitchen. She was at the counter rolling out dough to make buns. Perfect. He crept up and with his left hand; he took her right and spun her around, kissing her before she could cry out. 

She hit him lightly on the chest and pushed him away. "You scared the living daylights out of me!" 

He grinned. "Always watch for predators…" 

She swatted him. "Go get washed up. Rafe and Evelyn are coming over." 

He moved closer, wrapping an arm around her and swaying with her back and forth. "They don't mind." 

"Married for five years and you still can't keep your hands off her in front of guests…" 

Both turned and looked in the doorway, surprised. Rafe and Evelyn were wearing matching smirks. 

"I'll go get washed up," replied Danny, kissing Maggie soundly, just despite the couple in the doorway. 


End file.
